Skye Camanachd 2 Oban Celtic 5 | |
27 May 2019 Skye Camanachd went down 5-2 in their Mowi National Division match against Oban Celtic at a wet Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 25 May 2019. Both sides were a missing a number of regulars. Skye co-managers Kenny MacLeod and Allan MacLeod were without the injured Iain Nicolson and Chris Rose as well as John Gillies, James Pringle and Iain MacLellan. Skye gave a debut to Calum Robertson at wing centre with Ross MacKinnon also starting. Oban Celtic boss Dougie MacIntyre and his assistant Les Kinvig were missing regulars Ally McKerracher, Peter Currie, George MacMillan and the injured Rory Bruce. This 3pm throw up was broadcast LIVE online and on radio on Cuillin FM’s Camanachd LIVE show. Skye, playing towards the Skeabost end of the ground, went on the attack from the start and Will Cowie came close to giving them an instant lead when he took the ball past keeper Iain MacFarlane, who had saved from Ross Gordon, but he couldn’t direct the ball goalwards. However Cowie did put Skye ahead after 3 minutes when he turned quickly to get away from his marker and he cut in from the left before executing a cool finish with the ball going in off the far post. Skye came within a whisker of getting a second on 20 minutes when Ross Gordon chipped the ball over the keeper but Lewis Mcphee, who had a great game throughout, did really well to acrobatically flick the ball off the goal line to safety. Slowly but surely, Oban Celtic grew into the game. Ross MacMillan began to exert his influence, first drawing the Oban side level on 28 minutes. Neil Carmichael sent the ball into the danger area and although Skye keeper Ryan Morrison got a foot to MacMillan’s shot, he couldn’t keep in out. Oban Celtic’s second goal came from a Neil Carmichael free-hit on 37 minutes after Ross MacMillan had been fouled. Carmichael crossed the ball from wide on the left, near the corner flag, and Ross MacMillan allowed it to take a bounce before whipping it into the net on the half volley to make it 2-1. Skye keeper Morrison saved from Ross MacMillan seconds later and home defender James Morrison did well to get his stick to the rebound to steer the ball for a corner. MacMillan completed his hat-trick on 39 minutes when Skye failed to clear the resultant corner and Ross MacMillan cut in from the left, punishing some poor defending to make it 3-1. Ross MacMillan sent a shot just wide of the post from a free-hit late in the half and Oban Celtic went into the break with their tails up. Ross MacMillan continued to be a handful and he ran at the Skye defence from the restart but his shot went over the top. Lennon Campbell was instrumental in much of Oban Celtic’s good play and he deserved his goal on 50 minutes when he hit Ross MacMillan’s ball first-time, sending it low into the net. Ross MacKinnon gave Skye hope when he pulled a goal back on 65 minutes. MacKinnon was fouled as he surged forward but referee Iain Kennedy played a good advantage and MacKinnon produced a great finish to score. However the home hopes were short-lived as Daniel MacMillan made it 5-2 just 3 minutes later. Jamie Anderson played the ball back and Daniel MacMillan sent a blistering shot into the net, giving the keeper no chance. There was no further scoring and Oban Celtic deserved the win for a great team performance and the two points lifts them to third in the table. The sides meet in Portree again this coming Saturday; this time in the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup. Skye Camanachd from: Ryan Morrison; John Gillies, Martin Pringle, James Morrison, William MacKinnon; Calum Robertson, Stewart Grant, Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod; Jordan Murchison, Ross MacKinnon, Ross Gordon, Will Cowie (captain); subs Daniel Morrison, Connor Gilpin, Jamie MacKay, Allan MacLeod Oban Celtic from: Iain MacFarlane; Andy MacDonald, Lewis Mcphee; Michael MacKinnon, David Hill; Craig MacMillan, Neil Carmichael, John Douglas; Ross MacMillan (captain), Daniel MacMillan, Jamie Anderson, Lennon Campbell; subs Innes MacDonald, Dougie MacIntyre, Les Kinvig Match Referee – Iain Kennedy Scorers Skye Camanachd Will Cowie (3) Ross MacKinnon (65) Oban Celtic Ross MacMillan (28, 37, 39) Lennon Campbell (50) Daniel MacMillan (68) The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |